Waste Sorting & Methods

Waste sorting

Waste sorting is the process by which waste is separated into different elements. Waste sorting can occur manually at the household and collected through curbside collection schemes, or automatically separated in materials recovery facilities or mechanical biological treatment systems. Hand sorting was the first method used in the history of waste sorting.


Waste segregation means dividing waste into dry and wet. Dry waste includes wood and related products, metals and glass. Wet waste, typically refers to organic waste usually generated by eating establishments and are heavy in weight due to dampness. Waste can also be segregated on basis of biodegradable or non-biodegradable waste.

Landfills are an increasingly pressing problem. Less and less land is available to deposit refuse, but the volume of waste is growing all time. As a result, segregating waste is not just of environmental importance, but of economic concern, too.

Methods

Waste is collected at its source in each area and separated. The way that waste is sorted must reflect local disposal systems. The following categories are common:

• Paper
• Cardboard (including packaging for return to suppliers)
• Glass (clear, tinted – no light bulbs or window panes, which belong with residual waste)
• Plastics
• Textiles
• Wood, leather, rubber
• Scrap metal
• Compost
• Special/hazardous waste
• Residual waste

Organic waste can also be segregated for disposal:

• Leftover food which has had any contact with meat can be collected separately to prevent the spread of bacteria.
  • Meat and bone can be retrieved by bodies responsible for animal waste
  • If other leftovers are sent, for example, to local farmers, they can be sterilised before being fed to the animals
• Peel and scrapings from fruit and vegetables can be composted along with other degradable matter. Other waste can be included for composting, too, such as cut flowers, corks, coffee grindings, rotting fruit, tea bags, egg- and nutshells, paper towels etc.

Chip pan oil (fryer oil), used fats, vegetable oil and the content of fat filters can be collected by companies able to re-use them. Local authority waste departments can provide relevant addresses. This can be achieved by providing recycling bins.

This Is What Happens To The Wastage Inside Ambani’s Antilia. That’s Why He Is So Successful

Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in India and that’s a fact. His sense of business, unique way of implementing things and the way he has taken Reliance to new heights always catches our fancy.

Apart from all this, his house Antilia worth Rs 17000 crores is also something that is continuously talked about. There is almost everything that people want to know about one of the most expensive houses in the world.

Antilia is a 27-story skyscraper which is housed and maintained by almost 600 employees. There are a hell lot of luxuries inside the house and you will be amazed to know that the roof has 3 helipads and the house has a space to park 168 cars.

Also, there is a dance studio, a theatre, a ballroom, a temple, spa room and multiple guest suites. And after all this, one thing that comes to mind is how they manage the wastage all this generates. With so much at one place, there must be a lot of wastage. What exactly happens with the wastage at the Ambani’s Antilia?

Here’s the answer-

So, the Ambani’s like to do everything unique and in an inspiring way. Wastage is not wasted in the Antilia as they don’t dump it instead they use it to generate electricity.

A special system is used for the mechanism which separates dry and wet wastage. The wet wastage is dumped and the dry wastage is used again to generate electricity.

Now that’s a brilliant idea to generate electricity when the world is going through the energy crisis. Isn’t it?

SIMPLE WAYS TO PRACTISE WASTE SEGREGATION AT HOME

What is waste segregation?

Waste segregation refers to the separation of wet waste and dry waste, the purpose is to recycle dry waste easily and to use wet waste as compost.

Why should we segregate waste?

When we segregate waste, there is reduction of waste that gets landfilled and occupies space, air and water pollution rates are considerably lowered. Segregating waste also makes it easier to apply different processes - composting, recycling and incineration can be applied to different kinds of waste.

Here are some steps to manage and segregate waste:

1. Keep separate containers for dry and wet waste in the kitchen.

2. Keep two bags for dry waste collection- paper and plastic, for the rest of the household waste

3. Keep plastic from the kitchen clean and dry and drop into the dry waste bin. Keep glass/plastic containers rinsed of food matter.

4. Send wet waste out of your home daily. Store and send dry waste out of the home, once a week.

5. Keep a paper bag for throwing the sanitary waste.

Practising waste management and segregation as a community -

The best way to practise waste management is to form a group of like minded people. The process of waste segregation should be thoroughly explained to family/neighbours in your apartment building or neighbourhood. Create awareness amongst the staff in the apartment building/neighbourhood to help make the process easier. Acquiring separate storage drums for storing the dry waste and wet waste will be a great way to store bulk waste. Drop the dry waste into the blue bins placed at nearest recycling centers in Delhi. For outside Delhi drop it to any Kabadiwala near you.

Contents of Green and Blue Dustbins

Waste generators (households) should segregate waste in 2 dustbins.


A Green bin should be used for Wet waste.
The contents of the Green bin as described by MSW Rules 2016 are

• Food wastes of all kinds cooked and uncooked, including eggshells and bones
• flower, fruit and waste including juice
• vegetable peels
• household garden/plant wastes
• Soiled paper (used toilet paper, paper towel etc.)




A Blue bin should be used for dry waste.
The contents of the Blue bin as described by MSW Rules 2016 are

• Paper (Newspaper, notebooks etc.)
• Cardboard & cartons
• Containers & packaging of all kinds excluding those containing hazardous materials
• Compound packaging (Tetra pack etc.)
• Plastics
• Wood
• Rag
• Discarded Clothing

INDIA BEGINS SEGREGATION OF WASTE

The management of municipal solid waste in India has surfaced or continued to be a severe problem not only because of environmental and aesthetic concerns but also because of the enormous quantities generated every day. Even though only 31% of Indian population resides in urban areas, this population of 377 million (Census of India, 2011) generates a gigantic 1,43,449 metric tonnes per day of municipal solid waste, as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 2014-15 and these figures increase every day with an increase in population.

The SWM Rules, 2016 define segregation as sorting and separate storage of various components of solid waste namely biodegradable wastes including agriculture and dairy waste, non-biodegradable wastes including recyclable waste, non-recyclable combustible waste, sanitary waste and non-recyclable inert waste, domestic hazardous wastes, and construction and demolition wastes.

It is strongly felt that the principle of Reduce, Reuse, Recover, Recycle, Repair, Refuse & Rethink should be adopted and after making serious efforts to minimize waste, all components of MSW be utilized in a manner, that the full potential of the waste is tapped. Appropriate segregation at source/secondary storages is essential to achieve this object. The waste that can be recycled should be recycled to manufacture new products saving natural resources, the wet wastes that can produce biogas or compost, should be processed and the wastes that are non-recyclable and yet have high calorific value should be used for Waste to Energy plants.

Further, as per SWM Rules 2016, 
1) Every waste generator shall

(a) Segregate and store the waste generated by them in three separate streams namely bio-degradable, non-biodegradable and domestic hazardous wastes in suitable bins and handover segregated wastes to authorized waste pickers or waste collectors as per the direction or notification by the local authorities from time to time;

(b) Wrap securely the used sanitary waste like diapers, sanitary pads etc., in the pouches provided by the manufacturers or brand owners of these products or in a suitable wrapping material as instructed by the local authorities and shall place the same in the bin meant for dry waste or non- bio-degradable waste;

(c) Store separately construction and demolition waste, as and when generated, in his own premises and shall dispose off as per the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016;

(d) Store horticulture waste and garden waste generated from his premises separately in his own premises and dispose of as per the directions of the local body from time to time.

(e) No waste generator shall throw, burn or burry the solid waste generated by him, on streets, open public spaces outside his premises or in the drain or water bodies.